Torah Perspectives on Social Isolation and the Healing Power of Human Connection |
Rabbi Anchelle Perl Speaks on Loneliness in a Tech-Connected Society
We live in a remarkable age of technology. With a single device in our hands, we can communicate instantly with people across the globe. Messages travel in seconds, information flows endlessly, and social networks connect millions.
Yet paradoxically, many people today feel more alone than ever before.
Loneliness has quietly become one of the defining social challenges of our time. Public health experts now describe social isolation as a silent epidemic. Research shows that loneliness affects emotional wellbeing, physical health, and even life expectancy.
But long before modern psychology began studying this phenomenon, the Torah already articulated a profound truth about the human condition.
“It Is Not Good for Man to Be Alone”
In the Book of Bereishit (Genesis 2:18), the Torah states: “Lo tov heyot ha’adam levado.”
“It is not good for a person to be alone.” This is one of the earliest recorded insights into human emotional wellbeing. Judaism teaches that human beings are not meant to live in isolation. Connection is not simply pleasant—it is essential.
The Talmud (Ta’anit 23a) expresses this idea in striking language:
“O chavruta o mituta.” “Either companionship—or life feels diminished.”
Meaningful relationships are therefore not optional for a healthy society. They are a basic human need.
The Challenge of the Modern World
Today’s loneliness often hides beneath the surface.
A person may have hundreds of contacts online but still feel that no one truly sees them. Technology connects........